IT’S A FACT! AGED CARE IS HOT RIGHT NOW….

The demand for passionate physios wanting to specialise in gerontology is becoming more competitive as the race to serve the rapidly growing aged-care market heats up.

Gone are the days when working in aged care was seen as a poor second cousin to landing a job in a private practice or scoring a new grad rotational position in a major hospital or rehab facility.

Aged care has too often been the last stop gap before jetting off overseas.

However gerontology physio is beginning to take some of the limelight and offers a wealth of scope and potential for new graduate physio’s as they seek employers who will offer them support and guidance as they enter the workforce.

Latest stats show that over 50% of the physio positions currently available in the marketplace are for physio’s within aged care.

The trend is pushing physio providers to offer more to new graduates, which can only be a positive thing.

So what is it about working in aged care that is turning physio heads? Well, here are five reasons why graduates should consider a career as a gerontology physio:

1. It’s more complex than you think!

Let’s correct this common misconception. Working as physio in aged care presents more than a few head-scratching moments and is guaranteed to provide endless hours of stimulation and variety, as you get your head around how to deal with complex neurological, cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal issues in a single day.

There’s never a dull or boring moment to be had, between dealing with falls to managing chronic pain, to diagnosis a fractured NOF or taking a pilates class.

There is plenty of opportunity on offer to test your bobath skills or perhaps a bit of motor relearning and balance retraining or even splash out and do a bit of hydrotherapy.

The residential care world is your oyster……. so if your considering joining us in aged care, be sure to dust off your stethoscope, bring all your clinical reasoning, assessment and treatment skills and jump aboard the wild ride…..

2. You’re a key player in the team

Physiotherapists are one of the most qualified and skilled professionals within the aged care team, which means that you have a great opportunity to make a difference to some of the most deserving members of our community.

As in other areas of healthcare, we make up just part of the DMT, so you can expect to work with all the other allied health professionals as you would in a community-based setting, after all, that’s really what working in aged care is, community-based physio.

3. Autonomy and growth……we love this

It offers opportunities of autonomy for those who like going solo and with structured new graduate programs and great social support like ours at Agestrong Physio, your guaranteed to never feel alone. Word of advice for our new grads, in the event your shopping around for an aged care physio employer, beware, what is big and shiny on the outside is not always so glamourous within. There is plenty out there that over promise and under-deliver especially when it comes to support and continued professional development opportunities. Here at Agestrong Physio we love pushing the boundaries, so continued education and upskilling of all our team is crucial to our continued growth and development. So don’t burn your text books just yet….

4. Flexibility

For many of us variety is the spice of life and the great thing is you can pursue more than one interest at the same time. With so many career paths now to chose as a physio, as a new grad or even as an experienced physio you may want to share the so called “LOVE” around. One of the great things about working in aged care, for those of you that are considering a private practice gig, but still have an interest in working with the older population, a part time position in aged care can be a great complement and offer the variety and stimulation you desire.

5. Show me the money!!!!

And of course last but not the least, there’s the above-award wage.

Owing to the pure competition in the market, the going pay rate for gerontology physios is going up!

So for all of you budding gerontology physio’s out there, be sure to contact us.